Case Study

Vivo Energy Mali champions national Road Safety campaign

Vivo Energy Mali has partnered with the government’s transport ministry to create a national road safety campaign focused on reinforcing safety awareness among truck drivers and users of two-wheel vehicles.

The company recently signed an agreement with ANASER, Mali’s National Agency for Road Transport (RT) Safety, which will see the two organisations roll out a nation-wide awareness campaign.

Targeting both bulk vehicle drivers and bicycle/motorcycle road users, the partnership was launched at a high-profile ceremony covered by national television, and in the presence of the Transport Ministry General Secretary and representatives from the Ministries of Interior Security and Education.

The ceremony ended with Vivo Energy Mali donating 1000 crash helmets to ANASER, for distribution mainly to cyclists and motorcyclists among the country’s student population.

The partnership with ANASER follows recent government legislation mandating the use of helmets among Mali’s two-wheel vehicle road users. Vivo Energy Mali approached ANASER, as we were eager to widen our reach and get involved in road safety awareness on a national level.

The second aspect of the partnership involves entrenching defensive driving habits among the country’s bulk vehicle users. Representatives from trucking companies across the country will be attending train-the trainer sessions at Vivo Energy Mali’s defensive driving centre, whereupon they will then deliver these messages to truck drivers across the country.

The Defensive Course will focus on a number of key areas, such as driver reaction time, maintaining a safe distance around the vehicle, vehicle stability, the importance of being aware of the risks associated with changes in climatic conditions, and, in general, anticipating the mistakes of other road users.

Defensive driving training and sharing of good practices is crucial in preventing similar incidents, and we know from experience and from empirical evidence that they can make a huge difference.

As part of the overall Vivo Energy/ANASER campaign, a delegation will be visiting schools in Mali, where they will screen a special road safety video and conducting road safety quizzes, with helmets as prizes. Vivo Energy will also be working with ANASER to produce 1000 road safety booklets, which will be distributed to learners at elementary schools.

The idea is to reach the hearts and minds of Mali’s youth with these messages, ensuring good safety awareness and behaviours become ingrained from a young age.

To date, the campaign is already starting to have a real impact on the public and has received much media attention, reflecting very well on both organisations.

The government is hugely impressed at Vivo Energy Mali’s hands-on involvement in such an important public arena. Indeed, they have recognised that this is the first time a private company is driving national road safety awareness, and invited us to continue working with ANASER on another high-profile campaign – the UN Road Safety Day held in June.